What crime has Nora committed?
What Nora commits is not a crime per se. Instead, it is a simple offense that flouts the traditional values of her society. She forges her father’s signature to obtain a loan that she uses to finance a trip with her husband. In a technical sense, this offense is indeed a crime as it amounts to a forgery. However, the offense should be considered within the context of the limitations and restrictions that women faced. The offense is symbolic as it shows that in order to be free, women must violate established rules and traditions.
Helmer’s pronouncement that “before all else, (Nora is) a wife and mother” is contradicted by Nora’s “before all else, I’m a human being.” Is this issue significant today, or is it only a sign of Ibsen’s time? Explain.
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Today this ideology has changed. Women are viewed as vital citizens, both personally and professionally. Unlike the 1800s, women today are a considerable part of an engaged workforce allowing for work-life balance allowing women to put their wishes and desires first. Further, the challenges women face in the workforce are very different, as there are a multitude of career opportunities compared to Nora's days. Another dramatic difference is that with over 60% of US families having both parents employed today, both women and men have to work together on work/life balance versus the subservience of women being treated as inferior. I am not suggesting life in perfect today as there is still sub servant treatment of women, but the challenge is far less than centuries ago
Discuss Nora’s decision to leave her family. Is it truly the only way she can reclaim her identity and humanity?
It is true that leaving her family was the only option available to Nora. For example, she is married to an over-bearing man who refuses to allow her to exercise freedom. Furthermore, Nora is part of a society that expects subservience and total submission from women. In order to experience liberty, women are basically forced to make the difficult and painful choice of selecting between their identities and humanity, or their families. Moreover, Nora is part of a society that is inflexible. Her society cannot accommodate women who pursue professions and are completely free. As a result, Nora is forced to leave her family. Her decision symbolizes the stark choices that women are confronted with. They can either pursue their identities and humanities or stay at home and care for their families. There does not appear to be a compromise.
The last sound the audience hears is the door slamming shut after Nora’s departure. How is this significant?
The slamming of the door is significant because it symbolizes the finality of Nora’s decision. By slamming the door, she essentially makes it clear that her decision to leave is final and irreversible. Furthermore, the sound of the slamming door serves to highlight Nora’s departure. It allows the audience to appreciate the significance of this decision. This sound can also be interpreted as representing the boldness and defiance of Nora’s decision. She could have chosen to walk out quietly. However, by slamming the door, she indicates that she is unapologetic. To understand the symbolism of the door slamming, one needs to consider how women have had to fight for their freedoms. It is not possible for the women to find liberty in the comfort of their houses or while quiet. Instead, women have had to protest and make noise.
Is Nora’s decision to leave her husband and children acceptable? Explain.
It is difficult to endorse Nora’s decision to leave her family. For example, by leaving the family, Nora fails to recognize that her husband and children are the products of and slaves to the same society that denies her freedom. For example, her husband is harsh, unforgiving and misogynistic because his society is patriarchal and does not respect the equality and liberty of women. Additionally, Nora’s decision seems rather selfish given the suffering that her children will endure in her absence. However, it is also important to consider this decision within the framework of individual freedom versus societal obligations. On the one hand, Nora desperately desired to be free. On the other hand, she wished to be a good mother and wife. These competing interests are irreconcilable. While the decision she made is not acceptable, individuals should withhold judgment and understand that Nora faced an immensely difficult situation. Nora’s dilemma and eventual decision are symbolic because they mirror the experiences of many women who are unable to attain freedom without sacrificing their families.
Discuss the irony in Torvald’s accusation that Nora has played with him “like a puppet.”
The irony in Torvald’s accusation is that he has treated Nora like a puppet her whole life. Nora was only trying to do something kind by paying for the trip to save his life. Instead, Trovald accuses Nora of manipulating and embarrassing him. Further, Torvald treated Nora during their entire marriage like a puppet, dictating to her what he could and could not do. What makes the accusation symbolic is that it represents the challenges that women face in their quest for liberation. For instance, today, women who are excelling in the workplace often face accusations of being against men and seeking to establish female dominance. These accusations are not true and are simply a reflection of society’s reluctance to grant women freedoms that are long overdue.
Sources for Part II
Baseer, A., Alvi, S. D., & Zafran, F. (2013). The use of symbolic language in Ibsen’s A Doll’s House: a feminist perspective. Language in India, 13 (3), 622-9.
Iseni, A. (2014). Symbolic realism in Ibsen’s A Doll House: an overview. Anglisticum Journal, 3 (8), 8-17.
Mary, C. S. (2011). A feminist reading and symbolic significance of Henrik Ibsen’s ‘A Doll’s House’. International Journal of English and Literature, 1 (2), 13-22.
